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Talk:SABC Timbuktu/@comment-72.229.227.208-20121205053351
Hi everyone, these are the bullet points I put down for my part of the presentation on the Culture of Timbuktu. Of course, I'll have more information to elaborate on these points, but I tried to keep from overdoing it in order to stay within the allotted time of 3 minutes per person. I wanted to add pictures of architecture, but I figured since my presentation helps introduce the other parts of our presentation such as yours Ross I didn't want to take away anything from your contribution. I guess we'll talk more about everything when we meet tomorrow by the library. I haven't finished my bibliography, but I'll be sure to put that up by Friday. Culture of Timbuktu · Timbuktu was the intellectual and cultural capital of the Mali Empire from the 14th-16th century. · It was melting pot and hub for many different cultures such as the Tuareg, Fulani, Arabs and the Songhai. The exchange between these groups allowed for the spread of religion (primarily Islam), ideas and goods. · As a commercial center of the Mali Empire during the Trans-Saharan trade of Gold for Salt, Mali became well known throughout the known world as a city of great wealth, and because of this many traveled to Timbuktu to acquire riches and political power. · This grand city was also a center of knowledge where scholars travelled to study the many books that were written and copied starting in the beginning of the 14th century. · A major example of the significance of knowledge in the culture of Timbuktu is the splendor of the University of Timbuktu which according to Global Gateway World Cultures & Resources “was without equal in all of sub-Saharan Africa and was known throughout the Islamic world.” · Timbuktu houses 700,000 manuscripts, written mainly in Arabic, that date back to the 12th century which preserve the academic, religious, and cultural heritage of the region. These manuscripts help recall the Golden Age of Timbuktu. · According to Islamic Post Online there was also a collection of 7000 manuscripts of letters, academic papers, sermons, legal documents, and poetry written by women. · By the 14th century Timbuktu had 3 universities organized around 3 great Masajid or places of worship for Muslims: the Sankore University, DJingarayber University, and Sidi Yahya University, and 180 Quranic schools. · The architecture style in Timbuktu is of Sudano-Sahelian influence, but also has influences from Moroccan architecutre due to its invasion by Morocco in the 16th century. We see evidence of this style of architecture which spread throughout the region with the Sankore Mosque. · The architecture in addition to the academic accomplishments of Timbuktu have allowed the once great city to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it is also finds itself on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger because of the armed conflict going on in the region which threaten the World Heritage properties in Timbuktu (the Sankore Mosque, Djingarayber Mosque, and the Sidi Yahya Mosque).